Tuckers on Friar Lane is one of the down to earth cafés serving up simple and filling wholesome food to the good people of Nottingham. I have had my eye on this place for a while, but never seemed to be in town early enough to get something to eat there.

This time we were here at about 9.30am in the perfect breakfast window and dived up here to take our chances. Inside it is small and compact with about half a dozen tables. There are a lot of friendly ladies bustling about the counter waiting to feed you and the tables were packed out with people being fed, mostly it seemed workmen when we were there which is a good sign to me.

We jammed ourselves into the last free table and checked out the dining options!

Breakfast Menu

We went straight to the breakfast section of the menu looking for some ‘down and dirty’ greasy spoon action. If we didn’t leave with a full belly and a modicum of pretend shame we had not completed our mission. Look just pile up a plate with loads of really yummy fried stuff that I know I should not be scoffing 🙂

OK so the more sensible amongst us would probably have just ordered the All day breakfast for £3.49, if I am totally honest a plate of bacon, sausage, egg, tomatoes, beans and a slice of toast would have been more than enough to sustain me for the day ahead.

That wasn’t what happened though, we scanned down through the Nottingham legends named other choice, The Friars? The Big John? Nope we will eat the biggest breakfast that they offer which had double of everything for £6.49 plus a few other bits and bobs, and of course it had to be named the Robin Hood Special! How could one resist that?

The Robin Hood Special

The Robin Hood Special at Tuckers was described as “2 bacon, 2 sausages, 2 eggs, 2 hash browns, mushrooms, tomatoes, beans and 2 slices of toast” and that was what you got! It also came with a great big mug of tea! total bonus as I hadn’t spotted that when I was ordering.

The actual plate was so huge that we struggled to get both plates on the same table! If you look at the picture you can see mine hanging slightly over the edge basically poking into my belly. It wasn’t getting in there any faster so it just needed to be patient.

The whole plate looks a lot tidier and perhaps more photogenic when snapped from the side 🙂 I know which one I would be putting in my guidebook, but I also know which one paints the truer picture!

The two sunny side fried eggs nestled deep in the middle of the plate surrounded by a walled fortress of fried goods. The chomping experience was mixed, but it was what I expected from your classic down to earth no frills ‘greasy spoon;’ style café. It was also what I was looking for 🙂

So all the eggs, bacon, mushrooms, sausages seem to be cooked on the same grill so you do get a bit of a sooty and blackened underneath on the egg. It was ok if you didn’t look closely would be my advice. The yolks were nice and runny and I mopped that up with some of my toast.

For once I like the hash browns, they were crispy and a little soggy at the same time and seemed to have soaked up that lovely bacon fat. The bacon was nice and crisp and well cooked, actually quite meaty. The sausages were classic bangers, crispy skin and a spongy “where’s the meat?” filling.

The beans and tomatoes were just toppings for my toast. I am learning to like tinned tomatoes with my greasy spoon café breakfasts now, perhaps more than a grilled tomato. I know ‘what a heathen’

All in all this was a great big filling plateful of breakfast goodness and more than enough to keep this man going until mid-afternoon at least!

The Chalkboard outside Tuckers suggested much more on offer, as well as the All day breakfasts, they were offering cobs, burgers, jacket spuds, toasties (love a toasted sandwich) and even a bit of salad if you are so inclined.

I did see a couple of men getting one of the breakfast cobs, and all I can say is that I have never seen a cob as big, in fact I reckon it was a small round loaf! They don’t seem to mess around here portions wise 🙂

Tuckers is located at 42 Friar Lane in Nottingham. It is just about 5 minutes walk up the hill towards Maid Marian Way from the Old Market Square

Social Media wise there is a Facebook page that has the location and a single Tripadvisor entry.

I kind of think that it is a place for normal people who probably don’t need the web to tell them where to get some decent honest food